Novak Djokovic waiting for Wimbledon epic to end

Associated Press

Updated
1:43 pm CDT, Friday, July 13, 2018

TOPSHOT - US player John Isner returns against South Africa's Kevin Anderson during their men's singles semi-final match on the eleventh day of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 13, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USEDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images less

TOPSHOT - US player John Isner returns against South Africa's Kevin Anderson during their men's singles semi-final match on the eleventh day of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis ... more

Photo: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS, AFP/Getty Images

Photo: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS, AFP/Getty Images

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TOPSHOT - US player John Isner returns against South Africa's Kevin Anderson during their men's singles semi-final match on the eleventh day of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 13, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USEDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images less

TOPSHOT - US player John Isner returns against South Africa's Kevin Anderson during their men's singles semi-final match on the eleventh day of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis ... more

Photo: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS, AFP/Getty Images

Novak Djokovic waiting for Wimbledon epic to end

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LONDON (AP) — The Latest from Wimbledon (all times local):

7:20 p.m.

Novak Djokovic is playing marbles instead of tennis as he waits for a chance to get on to Centre Court at Wimbledon.

The first men's semifinal between John Isner and Kevin Anderson has passed the six-hour mark with the score tied at 21-21 in the fifth set, meaning Djokovic and his opponent Rafael Nadal are still waiting to start their semifinal.

Shortly before 7 p.m. Djokovic took to his Instagram account to show what he is up to in the locker room.

The video showed the three-time Wimbledon champion playing marbles with his support team.

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Roger Federer had match point in the third set of his quarterfinal matchup with Kevin Anderson, but the 36-year-old star could not close out the match and was eventually eliminated.

Media: Sports Illustrated

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6:35 p.m.

The five-set semifinal between Kevin Anderson and John Isner has become the second longest match in Wimbledon history.

With the players tied at 23-23 in the deciding set, they had gone past the 5 hours, 31 minutes that a third-round match between Sam Querrey and Marin Cilic took in 2012.

Isner won the longest match at Wimbledon — or any other tournament — when he beat Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set after 11 hours, 5 minutes in 2010.

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6 p.m.

The five-set match between Kevin Anderson and John Isner has become the longest semifinal in Wimbledon history.

The match surpassed the previous record of 4 hours, 44 minutes when the score was tied 9-9 in the deciding set.

That mark was set by another five-setter between Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro in 2013.

Anderson came through another marathon match to beat Roger Federer in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, winning their fifth set 13-11.

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4:55 p.m.

The Wimbledon semifinal between Kevin Anderson and John Isner is going to a fifth set.

Anderson broke Isner to take a 5-4 lead in the fourth set before holding to level the match 7-6 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-4.

Anderson has broken Isner three times in the match after the American had held 110 straight service games since the start of the tournament.

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4:20 p.m.

The lawyer who represents adult film star Stormy Daniels says he will be a guest of Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon this weekend.

Michael Avenatti took to Twitter to confirm a report he will be coming to the All England Club, although it was unclear on which day.

"Looking forward to it. (Navratilova) is a legend and a tremendous human being," Avenatti wrote .

The women's final is on Saturday and the men's final on Sunday.

On Friday, Avenatti joined thousands of protesters at a central London march against U.S. President Donald Trump.

Navratilova won a record nine women's singles titles at Wimbledon from 1978 to 1990.

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4:10 p.m.

John Isner is one set away from his first Grand Slam final, despite finally having his serve broken for the first time at Wimbledon.

Anderson served for the third set at 5-3 after ending Isner's streak of holding 110 consecutive service games at this tournament. But the South African was broken right back and couldn't capitalize on two set points in the tiebreaker — double-faulting on the first.

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3:10 p.m.

John Isner has won the second set against Kevin Anderson 7-6 (5) to level their Wimbledon semifinal at 1-1.

Isner jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the tiebreaker and converted his third set point with an ace.

Neither player has been broken so far. Anderson had the only break point of the set at 30-40 in the ninth game but Isner saved it with a forehand volley.

Isner called for a trainer to have his right index finger treated at 2-1 but didn't seem bothered by any problem when play resumed.

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2:25 p.m.

John Isner has called for a trainer to have his right index finger treated during the second set of his Wimbledon semifinal against Kevin Anderson.

Isner took a medical timeout after holding for 2-1 and had his finger taped before resuming play.

Anderson won the first set 7-6 (6).

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2:15 p.m.

Kevin Anderson has won the first set of his Wimbledon semifinal against John Isner 7-6 (6).

Anderson saved a set point at 6-5 in the tiebreaker with an overhead smash at the net, and Isner then netted two shots to hand the South African a 1-0 lead. The last point of the set was briefly held up as a ball boy had to be substituted after hurting his shoulder.

Isner double-faulted to set up a set point for Anderson when serving at 5-4, but he saved it with a 129 mph second serve that the South African couldn't return.

Anderson came through a marathon serving game at 1-1, saving three break points before finally holding serve after an eighth deuce.

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1:10 p.m.

The first men's semifinal has started at Wimbledon, with Kevin Anderson of South Africa taking on John Isner of the U.S.

Anderson is trying to follow up his five-set win over Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, with both men appearing in their first semifinal at the All England Club.

In a match between two of the game's biggest servers, Anderson started the match with a double-fault.

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12:30 p.m.

The Wimbledon semifinal between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic is their 52nd tour-level meeting, more than any other two men in tennis history.

Nadal leads their series 26-25 heading into Friday's match, including 9-4 at Grand Slam tournaments.

Nadal has 17 major titles, two at the All England Club. Djokovic owns 12 Slam trophies, three from Wimbledon.

The other men's semifinal features two big servers bidding for a first major championship: Kevin Anderson of South Africa and John Isner of the U.S.

Anderson eliminated eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals. Isner has won all 95 of his service games so far.

This is the first time in the professional era that all four male semifinalists at a major are older than 30.